Marque Restaurant

Georgia's grandparents flew up from Melbourne for a couple of days so we thought, fine, you can baby sit while we go out. So we did. To one of Australia's best restaurants - Marque. It has been a while since we've been here, 2009 I think, and it has been 7 months since just the two of us have been out for a meal. There was no way we weren't going to go he whole hog and not have the full degustation menu. Michelle took it easy on the wines but, hey, I'm not breast feeding so I went for the full complement of matching wines too.

Marque, according to Australian Gourmet Traveller, is the number one restaurant in Australia. It is indeed mighty fine. As fine as the delicate and totally scrummy dishes chef Mark Best dishes up. Starting with..

Bonito with Foie Gras & Potato


Almond Jelly with Blue Swimmer Crab, Almond Gazpacho, Sweet Corn & Avruga
2009 Niepoort 'Tiara' Codega/Rabigato/Donzelino, Douro, Portugal


Warm Oyster with Braised Abalone, Citrus Salad & Cocoa
2008 D. de Belliviere, Chenin Blanc, Jasnieres, Loire Valley, France


Poached Calamari with Lardo & Black Radish
Toro Albala, 'Olorosso Viejo' Pedro Ximenez, Montilla-Moriles, Spain


Duck Egg with Globe Artichoke, Mint & Radicchio
2010 Farr Rising 'Saignee' Pinot Noir, Geelong, Vic


Luscious isn't it.


Pigeon with Mullet Roe, Sauteed Lettuce, Cucumber & Dill
2009 Beatrice & Pascal Lambert 'Tradition Graves' Cabernet Franc, Chinon, France


Grain Fed Wagyu Sirloin with Onion, Black Tea & Stem Salad
2008 A.A. E. Piro & Figli, Barbara d'Alba Superiore, Piemont, Italy


We arrived for the final sitting so by the time we finished we were the last ones in the restaurant. It's kind of nice having a restaurant to yourself.


Pre dessert cocktail that for the life of me I can't remember what was in it.


Sauternes Custard served in an egg. One of Mark Best's signature dishes is an amuse bouche, Chaud-Froid Free Range Egg (Alain Passard 1998) - Egg, cream, sherry, maple syrup & grissini for dipping, but when it didn't appear this time I was slightly disappointed. But this custard egg almost made up for it.


Roast Pineapple with Szechuan Pepper & Manjimup Black Truffle
'Greedy Hunter'


Salted Caramel Chocolate, Lemon Drops & Bitter Bon Bons

According to Marque due to environmental concerns Marque no longer use bottled mineral water. They've installed a chilled, filtered, carbonated water system and, as far as water can be, it was delicious. A very light carbonation like the best Italian or French mineral waters. Five bucks a person is a small price to pay for this exquisite water.

Marque Restaurant is at 4/5 355 Crown Street Surry Hills and has been awarded 3 Hats by the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide.

Marque c'est fin

Happy birthday to me. The last couple of weeks have been pretty shitty but tonight has been pretty good.
Marque Restaurant is a Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 3 Hat awarded restaurant. It is at 355 Crown St Surry Hills.

Finish with Salted Caramel Chocolates & Bitter Bon Bons. They even threw in a couple of extra chockies.

Marque 6

San Tumas (Tuscan goats cheese) with Basil Cake, Juniper, Verjus & Native Pepper Berry
2007 Alzinger Grüner Veltliner, Wachau, Austria

Sauternes Custard

New Seasons Peach with Pursiane, Meringue, Coffee & Amaretto
2006 Spätlese Riesling 'Spider'

Marque 5

Marque 4

Roast Muscovy Duck with Apple Dashi, Wheat Sprouts & Enoki
2006 Château Beaucastel, Coudoulet de Beaucastel, Grenache/Mouvèdre, Rhône, France

Wagyu Sirloin with Black Olive, Earl Grey Ash, Burnt Cucumber & Onion
2006 Dolium 'La Terna' Malbec/Tempranillo/Cabernet, Mendoza, Argentina

Marque 3

Cure Kingfish with Celery, Vanilla, Lime & Green Tea
2007 Heymann-Löwenstein Riesling, Mosel, Germany

Steamed Scampi with 'Fish Floss', Scampi Anglaise, Campari & Turnip
2007 Brookfields Gerwürztraminer, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand

White Asparagus with Toast, Potato & Mace Anglaise
2008 Gobelsburger 'Cistercien' Rosé (Zweigelt/St Laurent), Niederöstereich, Austria

Marque 2

Chaud-Froid Free Range Egg (Alain Passard 1998) - Egg, cream, sherry, maple syrup & grissini for dipping

Almond Jelly with Blue Swimmer Crab, Almond Gazpacho, Sweet Corn & Avruga
2008 Niepoort 'Tiara', served at cellar temperature (15 degrees), Duoro, Portugal

Marque

Wicked Elf to start. Degustation tonight I think too.

Marque Restaurant is a Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 3 Hat awarded restaurant. It is at 355 Crown St Surry Hills.

Marque 13 - Final Happy Birthday to me post

Petit fours. Delicious salty butter caramel chocolates. And we are done at Marque. Another successful and brilliant degustation menu. Did I mention Marque has 3 Hats? My birthday is over for another year... Happy Birthday to me... Now we are going to watch The Big Bang Theory.

Marque 12

Dessert. Meringue, yoghurt sorbet and berries.

Marque 11

Sauternes custard.

Marque 10

Washed rind cheese, ice cream and anchovie.

Marque 9

Badoit. Definitely the best French sparkling water.

Marque 8

Angus sirloin with truffle sauce, chips and green peppers.

Marque 7

Roast jurassic quail and celeraic.

Marque 6

Duck ham and liver.

Marque 5

Yellow fin tuna and fois gras butter sprinkled with powdered pork crackling.

Marque 4

Ocean trout, Roe, gelatin and coleslaw.

Marque

Course 3. Scallops with apple puree and other... stuff.

Marque

Swimmer crab with almond jelly and caviar.